Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Allen Fieldhouse Highlights 2025 Volleyball Conference Schedule

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas volleyball will return to historic Allen Fieldhouse on Friday, Oct. 24 to host Kansas State in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The announcement was made Monday as part of the Big 12 Conference schedule release.

The Jayhawks, under first-year coach Matt Ulmer, will play an 18-game Big 12 Conference schedule, opening it up on Sept. 26, when KU welcomes Arizona State for the first of nine conference home matches. Kansas will also host Arizona, Texas Tech, Iowa State, TCU, Colorado, Cincinnati, and UCF at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena, in addition to hosting Kansas State at Allen Fieldhouse.

For the other half of Big 12 competition, the Jayhawks will take to the road to face against TCU, Baylor, Houston, Kansas State, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Utah, BYU and Iowa State. Of the 15 conference opponents, Kansas will play a home-and-home series against TCU, Iowa State, Kansas State and Cincinnati.

In its home matchup against Kansas State, Kansas will return to Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since 2013, when the Jayhawks hosted one regular season match and the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament there. In the postseason, KU defeated Wichita State and Creighton to advance to the regional semifinals. The Jayhawks also played three games at Allen Fieldhouse in 2012, sweeping Saint Louis in a regular season match before going 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament.

Kansas volleyball played its home matches at Allen Fieldhouse from 1975-98 before moving into the Horejsi Family Athletics Center in 1999. The facility was later renovated and unveiled as the new state-of-the-art Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena on Sept. 10, 2019. Prior to moving, the attendance record in Allen Fieldhouse was 14,800 for a match against Missouri on Oct 18, 1996. The largest crowd since then was 4,478 for the NCAA first round matchup vs. Wichita State on Dec. 1, 2012.

"The fan support for Kansas volleyball continues to grow," Ulmer said. "We are thankful that Kansas State has agreed to compete with us in Allen Fieldhouse to showcase just how large that support is. There's no doubt in my mind that we can let the country know that Kansas volleyball is looking to compete at an elite level in every way."

More information regarding tickets for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown matchup at Allen Fieldhouse will be announced at a later date. Kansas Volleyball season ticket holders will have exclusive access opportunities during the game, with more details to come. Fans interested in receiving further information regarding the match at Allen Fieldhouse are encouraged to fill out this form.

Kansas returns 11 players from the 2024 roster, led by Big 12 Freshman of the Year Reese Ptacek and libero Raegan Burns, who led the team with 372 digs last season. The Jayhawks have welcomed three experienced transfers to the roster in Cristin Cline (Oregon), Ryan White (Oregon State) and Audra Wilmes (Washington), with a talented freshman class set to join this summer.

Ulmer came to Kansas following a successful career at Oregon where he led the Ducks to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Elite Eights and five Sweet Sixteens while finishing in the Top 10 of the AVCA Division I Poll in each of the last three seasons. It will be the coach's first experience coaching in the Big 12 this year. Last season, six Big 12 teams were sent to the NCAA Tournament as TCU, BYU, Arizona State, Baylor and Utah joined the Jayhawks in the event. Five of those teams advanced past the first round.

Volleyball season tickets are on sale now and are available to purchase through this link or by calling the KU Ticket Office at 785-864-3141.

VB Conference Schedule

University of Kansas Athletics

Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Allen Fieldhouse Highlights 2025 Volleyball Conference Schedule

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Raegan Burns

Cristin Cline

Reese Ptacek

Ryan White

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